Executive Assistants support everyone from small-team managers to CEOs and boards, with pay rising sharply alongside the seniority of the executive supported and the scope of responsibility. In-house pay progresses from around GBP 24,000 for a junior EA or PA to GBP 65,000-plus for a Senior EA to a C-suite executive, while self-employed freelance and virtual EAs can build a profit from GBP 22,000 while establishing a client base up to GBP 55,000-plus for established freelancers with several retainer clients. This guide sets out realistic UK pay for both employed and self-employed EAs, shows estimated take-home after Income Tax and National Insurance for 2026/27 (Class 1 for employed, Class 4 for self-employed), and explains freelance pricing, expenses and IR35 specific to virtual assistant work. All figures are estimates -- use the linked calculators for your own numbers.
Executive Assistant Career Progression and Pay -- UK 2026/27
Indicative UK ranges based on advertised salaries and typical freelance/virtual EA pricing. London finance, private equity and tech-sector EAs typically pay 15--30% above the national figure, reflecting both cost of living and the scope of C-suite responsibility.
Level
Stage
Typical pay
Notes
Junior EA / Personal Assistant
0--2 years
GBP 24,000--GBP 30,000
Diary management, basic admin, travel booking
Mid-Level Executive Assistant
2--5 years
GBP 34,000--GBP 42,000
Supports one or two senior managers, project coordination
Hourly or small monthly retainers across several clients
Self-Employed Freelance/Virtual EA (established)
Multiple retainer clients
GBP 38,000--GBP 55,000+ (profit)
Higher hourly rate, founder or C-suite clients
Executive Assistant Take-Home Pay 2026/27
2026/27 England rates, Class 1 employee National Insurance. Personal Allowance GBP 12,570. No pension salary sacrifice or student loan applied.
Scenario
Gross
Income tax
NI
Net/year
Net/month
Keep %
Junior EA / PA
GBP 27,000
GBP 2,886
GBP 1,154
GBP 22,960
GBP 1,913/mo
85%
Mid-level EA
GBP 38,000
GBP 5,086
GBP 2,034
GBP 30,880
GBP 2,573/mo
81%
Senior EA to C-suite
GBP 55,000
GBP 9,432
GBP 3,111
GBP 42,457
GBP 3,538/mo
77%
Self-Employed Freelance/Virtual EA Take-Home Pay 2026/27
2026/27 England rates, Class 4 self-employed National Insurance (Class 2 was abolished from April 2024). Figures shown are profit after deductible business expenses. No student loan applied.
Scenario
Profit
Income tax
Class 4 NI
Net/year
Net/month
Keep %
Freelance/virtual EA starting out
GBP 30,000
GBP 3,486
GBP 1,046
GBP 25,468
GBP 2,122/mo
85%
Established freelance EA
GBP 48,000
GBP 7,086
GBP 2,126
GBP 38,788
GBP 3,232/mo
81%
For your exact figure including pension, other income and deductions, use the take-home pay calculator.
Freelance and Virtual EA Pricing
UK freelance and virtual EAs typically charge an hourly rate of GBP 25-GBP 45, or a monthly retainer for a fixed number of hours (commonly 10-40 hours a month per client). Specialist virtual EAs supporting founders or C-suite executives on ad hoc, high-responsibility work -- inbox and diary management, travel booking, board-pack preparation -- can charge GBP 45-GBP 65 an hour.
Most established freelance EAs support multiple clients simultaneously on part-time retainers rather than working full-time hours for a single client, which both spreads risk and allows a higher effective hourly income than an equivalent in-house salary once business overheads are covered.
IR35 and Business Structure for Freelance EAs
Most UK freelance and virtual EAs operate as sole traders, which is unaffected by IR35 -- sole traders pay Income Tax and Class 4 National Insurance via Self Assessment regardless of how their work is structured with clients. IR35 applies specifically to individuals working through their own limited company in a way that resembles employment: fixed hours, direction and control by the client, no genuine right of substitution, and minimal financial risk.
EAs who work through a limited company -- more common for those earning above GBP 50,000 profit -- should assess each client engagement against IR35 status, particularly long-term single-client arrangements that resemble a disguised employment relationship.
The GBP 100,000 Personal Allowance Taper
Executive Assistant salaries rarely reach the GBP 100,000 personal allowance taper threshold on a single employer salary, though a small number of Chief of Staff or Executive Business Partner roles -- a natural progression from Senior EA -- can approach or exceed it, particularly in London finance, private equity or tech. Above GBP 100,000, the GBP 12,570 personal allowance is withdrawn at GBP 1 for every GBP 2 earned, creating an effective marginal rate of around 60% in the GBP 100,000--GBP 125,140 band.
Planning tip: a pension contribution to bring adjusted net income below GBP 100,000 is a common and highly tax-efficient mitigation for those approaching this band, restoring the full personal allowance.
Scottish Income Tax for Executive Assistants
EAs who are Scottish taxpayers pay Scottish Income Tax on their non-savings income. A mid-level EA earning GBP 38,000 in Scotland pays the Intermediate rate (21%) on part of their income, a small amount more than the equivalent rUK taxpayer. Use the Scottish Income Tax calculator for a precise comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an Executive Assistant earn in the UK in 2026/27?
A junior EA or Personal Assistant earns approximately GBP 24,000--GBP 30,000. A mid-level EA supporting one or two senior managers earns GBP 34,000--GBP 42,000. A Senior EA supporting a CEO, Managing Director or other C-suite executive -- often with diary, travel, board-meeting and confidential-document responsibility -- earns GBP 48,000--GBP 65,000-plus, with London finance and tech-sector EAs at the top of that range. Self-employed freelance or virtual EAs typically profit GBP 26,000--GBP 34,000 while building a client base, rising to GBP 42,000--GBP 55,000-plus for established freelance EAs with several retainer clients.
What is the take-home pay for a mid-level Executive Assistant earning GBP 38,000?
A mid-level EA earning GBP 38,000 gross in 2026/27 pays approximately GBP 5,086 in income tax and approximately GBP 2,034 in Class 1 employee National Insurance. Net annual pay is approximately GBP 30,880, or around GBP 2,573 per month, before any pension or student loan deductions.
What is the take-home pay for a Senior EA to C-suite earning GBP 55,000?
A Senior EA supporting a C-suite executive on GBP 55,000 gross in 2026/27 pays approximately GBP 9,432 in income tax and approximately GBP 3,111 in Class 1 employee National Insurance. Net annual pay is approximately GBP 42,457, or around GBP 3,538 per month.
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How much can a freelance or virtual Executive Assistant take home?
A freelance or virtual EA with GBP 30,000 in annual profit in 2026/27 pays approximately GBP 3,486 in income tax and approximately GBP 1,046 in Class 4 National Insurance (Class 2 was abolished from April 2024). Net take-home is approximately GBP 25,468 per year, or around GBP 2,122 per month. An established freelance EA with several retainer clients and GBP 48,000 profit nets approximately GBP 38,788 per year, or GBP 3,232 per month.
How is freelance and virtual EA work priced?
UK freelance and virtual EAs typically charge an hourly rate of GBP 25-GBP 45, or a monthly retainer for a fixed number of hours (commonly 10-40 hours a month per client). Specialist virtual EAs supporting founders or C-suite executives on ad hoc, high-responsibility work -- inbox and diary management, travel booking, board-pack preparation -- can charge GBP 45-GBP 65 an hour. Most established freelance EAs support multiple clients simultaneously on part-time retainers rather than working full-time hours for a single client, which both spreads risk and allows higher effective hourly income than a single in-house salary.
What expenses can a self-employed EA deduct against taxable profit?
Deductible expenses include a proportion of home office running costs (using HMRC simplified expenses or actual-cost apportionment), diary-management and virtual-assistant software subscriptions, professional body membership (e.g. the Institute of Administrative Management), training courses, a business proportion of laptop and phone costs, professional indemnity insurance, marketing and portfolio website costs, and accountancy fees.
Does IR35 apply to freelance Executive Assistants?
IR35 (off-payroll working rules) can apply where an EA works through their own limited company for a client in a way that resembles employment -- fixed hours, direction and control by the client, no genuine ability to substitute another assistant, and no financial risk. Most freelance and virtual EAs operate as sole traders, which is unaffected by IR35, since it applies specifically to limited company contractors; sole traders are taxed via Self Assessment and Class 4 NI regardless of how work is structured with clients.
How does the personal allowance taper affect senior EAs?
Executive Assistant salaries rarely reach the GBP 100,000 personal allowance taper threshold on a single employer salary, though a small number of Chief of Staff or Executive Business Partner roles -- a natural progression from Senior EA -- can approach or exceed it, particularly in London finance, private equity or tech. Above GBP 100,000, the GBP 12,570 personal allowance is withdrawn at GBP 1 for every GBP 2 earned, creating an effective marginal rate of around 60% in the GBP 100,000--GBP 125,140 band.
How does student loan repayment affect an Executive Assistant?
Many EAs hold a degree or business-administration qualification, commonly on a Plan 2 or Plan 5 student loan. Plan 2 borrowers repay 9% of income above GBP 27,295; Plan 5 borrowers (post-August 2023 starters) repay 9% above GBP 25,000. A mid-level EA earning GBP 38,000 on Plan 2 repays approximately 9% of GBP 10,705 = GBP 963 per year (around GBP 80 per month). Freelance EAs have student loan repayments calculated on profit via Self Assessment.
Is an EA role the same as a PA role, and does pay differ?
Personal Assistant (PA) and Executive Assistant (EA) job titles overlap significantly and are often used interchangeably by UK employers, though EA typically implies a more senior role supporting one or more C-suite executives with greater scope -- project coordination, gatekeeping, budget management and board-level liaison -- rather than purely administrative and diary support. Pay generally rises with the seniority of the executive supported and the scope of responsibility rather than the job title itself; a PA to a CEO commonly earns more than an EA supporting a middle-management team.
